THE KING'S WILL FORCED FROM HDL 307

with seven seals (I know not if by this M. du Maine wished to
imitate the mysterious book with Seven Seals, of the Apoca-
lypse, and so sanctify the packet). In handing it to them, the
King said: " Gentlemen, this is my will. No one but myself
knows its contents. I commit it to you to keep in the Parlia-
ment, to which I cannot give a greater testimony of my esteem
and confidence than by rendering it the depository of it. The
example of the Kings my predecessors, and that of the will of
the King, my father, do not allow me to be ignorant of what
may become of this; but they would have it; they have tor-
mented me; they have left me no repose, whatever I might
say. Very well! I have bought my repose. Here is the mil;
take it away: come what may of it, at least, I shall have rest,
and shall hear no more about it/'

At this last word, that he finished with a dry nod, he turned
his back upon them, passed into another cabinet, and left them
both nearly turned into statues. They looked at each other
frozen by what they had just heard, and still more by what
they had just seen in the eyes and the countenance of the King;
and as soon as they had collected their senses, they retired, and
went to Paris. It was not known until after dinner that
the King had made a will and given it to them. In proportion
as the news spread, consternation filled the Court, while the
flatterers, at bottom as much alarmed as the rest, and as Paris
was afterwards, exhausted themselves in praises and eulogies.

The next day, Monday the 28th, the Queen of England came
from Chaillot, where she almost always was, to Madame de
Maintenon's. As soon as the King perceived her, " Madame,''
said he to her, like a man full of something and angry, " I have
made my will; I have been tormented to do it;" then cast-
ing his eyes upon Madame de Maintenon, "I have bought
repose; I know the powerlessness and inutility of it. We can
do all we wish while we live; afterwards we are less than the
meanest. You have only to see what became of my father's
will immediately after his death, and the wills of so many other
Kings. I know it well; but nevertheless they have wished it;
they gave me no rest nor repose, no calm until it was done; ah,

20-2